Why Porsche Won’t Sell You A Manual 911 GT3 In California, And What Happens If You Already Ordered One
Yesterday’s 2022 Porsche 911 GT3 Touiring reveal caused a wave of fist-pumping around the world, or it would have done if the kind of people who prefer to order a GT3 without a wing weren’t far too reserved for that kind of thing.
But there was slightly less cause for celebration in California, where the GT3 will now only be available with a PDK transmission – and that doesn’t only apply for upcoming Touring orders, but unfortunately, for anyone who has ordered a regular row-it-yourself gearbox GT3.
“We have to fully accept and respect national and local guidelines in every market – not just in the U.S. but around the world,” a Porsche spokesman told Carscoops. “Unfortunately, this precludes a manual gearbox option on the 911 GT3 in the state of California because of a sound regulation that is in the process of being updated.”
Porsche had hoped that the regulations would have been updated in time for the car’s launch, but sadly, Porsche realised in the last few days that this wasn’t going to be the case. And it won’t make a difference if lawmakers pull their fingers out next month.
Related: 2022 Porsche 911 GT3 Touring Drops Flamboyant Rear Wing, Keeps Manual
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“We are unable to confirm if a manual gearbox for the 911 GT3 will be offered in California in the future, however the manual transmission will not be offered on the 2022 model year car,” the spokesman confirmed.
So what exactly is the problem with the manual 911 GT3s?
Apparently, it relates to an outdated test procedure, SAE J1470. Written in 1992, it was designed for a time when cars only had four or five gears, and has since been superseded by a more modern procedure called J2805. That new test, which the manual GT3 can pass, dates from May 2020, and should have been implemented by now. But it still hasn’t been adopted in California.
It’s worth noting that this legal issue doesn’t affect sales of non-GT3 manual-equipped 911s or manual 718 Boxsters and Caymans in California. And buyers in other states are still able to choose between manual or PDK transmissions for their GT3s, which will start shipping in the fall, the Touring arriving slightly later, in early 2022.
What if you’ve already ordered a manual 992 GT3?
But what does that mean if you live in California and already ordered a manual GT3? If you’re hoping Porsche will quietly sneak one in for you, or deliver you a PDK car with a ‘sorry!’ card in the glove compartment along with a thick brown envelope of cash to make amends, you’re out of luck.
“We apologize to customers who have ordered a 911 GT3 with a manual gearbox in the state of California – each of whom will be contacted individually by their dealer to fully explain the situation, to discuss their next steps and to be given the option of adjusting the specification of their car,” Porsche told us.
In other words, they’ll be able to take switch to a PDK, or maybe switch to an entirely different Porsche. And unsaid, but implied, is a third option: they’ll be able to cancel their order, get their money back, and walk away – maybe to return in 2023.
